Llysos
Llysian |Language2=Tavrosian |Religion1=The Sophos |Ethnicity1=Llysian |Ethnicity2=Llysovian |Alliance1=The Accord }} Llysos is a New Voldranian nation on the continent of Llysia, sharing borders with Akarv and Altenahnenwalde. The Llysian people were the continent's sole inhabitants for thousands of years, although Llysos as a nation did not adopt an official central government until the Voldranian exodus. History Various Llysian tribes have occupied the continent of Llysia since before recorded history. Most of the tribes were officially unified in 61 AE, although some more secluded tribes elected to maintain their autonomy, and exist on the fringes of Llysian society. Origins It is unknown when the first settlers arrived in modern-day Llysos. Many believe themselves to be an autocthonous people, and local folklore states that the Llysians are in fact descendants of a deity known as Llys. Before the arrival of the Voldranians, the whole continent of Llysia was inhabited by numerous tribes, all of Llysian ancestry. Many of these tribes shared a common belief system, called the Sophos, and it is only through this system's mythology that knowledge of the early Llysians has been passed. Early History Oral tradition records that long ago, the multitude of Llysian tribes were threatened by an invasion of seafaring peoples from the East. A warrior, the Llysian culture hero Arkresan the Exalted, supposedly rallied the combined forces of the Llysian states and repelled the invaders. After the war, thought the Llysians realized the value in cooperation, many of the tribes refused to surrender their independence. Arkresan thus proposed a coalition of autonomous tribes. The most influential religious group at this time, The Azure Dawn, held considerable power among the vast majority of people and convinced them to accept. The Azure Dawn and similar groups took up roles as mediators of inter-tribal politics. Centuries later, a descendant of Arkresan named Arcelius became the first Llysian to lead large-scale expeditions across the oceans and then return, bringing tremendous wealth and word foreign wonders to the Llysian people. Curiosity about these exotic places prompted the rise of what is loosely known as the Archaic Llysian Empire: the proliferation of many small colonies throughout New Voldrania, and the height of ancient Llysian expansion. Modern History In 61 AE, the various tribes of Llysos agreed to become a singular nation to ease diplomatic relations with the settlers from Old Voldrania. This was aided by a preexisting state of relative cooperation between most tribes, united by the Azure Dawn. The tribes that did not unite were the tribes collectively referred to as the Llysovians, who instead formed the sister-nation of Altenahnenwalde. To make room for the New Voldranian nation of Akarv, several primarily nomadic tribes from western Llysia moved East, although some, unwilling to abandon their ancestral lands, remained behind and were eventually absorbed into Akarvian society. Geography Llysos is the largest and easternmost nation in New Voldrania, spanning the entire eastern coast of the continent of Llysia. Llysos has a diverse landscape but contains many regions which are dominated by forested hills or mountain slopes. At the rough geographical center of modern Llysos stands the nation's symbolic heart: Estaroc, a lone mountain jutting from the surrounding swamps and lowlands. The mountain is sacred to the Llysians, and its history is shrouded in folklore. To its east is Aratos, a grassy, fertile, coastal region known for its farms and fisheries which supply much of Llysos with food. Most major Llysian cities are coastal, since trade and travel occurs largely by sea. The nation's largest city and capital, Halcyon , sits around the Bay of Arcelius in northern Llysos. Western Llysos is occupied by the Haribaya Dune Sea: a massive sandy desert in stark contrast to the otherwise verdant nation. Government and Politics The Llysian political environment is a frequent source of confusion to outsiders, in part due to the lack of a codified constitution. The de facto central government of Llysos is the Azure Dawn. While technically a religious cult, it acts as a coordinating body for the numerous other levels of governance in Llysos, and provides Llysian society with a general sense of direction. The Synedrion The synedrion, or council as it is commonly known, is a collection of leaders from various recognized bodies who convene to act as the effective legislature of Llysos. The councilors are chosen (in theory) by meritocratic decision from within their organization so that, for example, all engineers will elect the most distinguished of their number to present their arguments at council. What exactly constitutes a 'recognized body' is left to the interpretation of other 'recognized bodies', with disputes settled by the archon, who is, by title, the representative of the Azure Dawn itself, but is in practice selected each year from within the council, by its members. The Tribes of Llysos The Llysian tribes belong to an ancient system of familial affiliations which divided the Llysian people before their unification in 61 AE. Even so, Llysians remain aware of their tribal connections, and inter-tribal relations continue to play a significant role in Llysian politics. Each tribe, in the broadest terms, in a collection of families united by certain traditions or a way of life. Some tribes were defined by shared lineage, and others simply by geographical closeness and cooperation. Before the unification they were essentially states in miniature. The Cults Before the political unification of the tribes, Llysians were still connected by a shared religious and philosophical belief system called the Sophos. The Sophos was maintained by scholars, clerics, and philosophers who acted mostly independently of their individual tribal affiliations, and instead pledged their service to religious orders called cults, each dedicated to specific aspects of the sophos. Today, the largest cults are the Azure Dawn, the Trochon Aius, and the Mages' College. Foreign Relations Llysos has one of the most extensive foreign networks in New Voldrania, and maintains diplomatic and economic connections with most other nations. Llysian organizations are well-known for their eagerness to place liaisons in as many foreign positions as possible. Llysos is also notable for its relatively frequent interaction with the otherwise mostly-isolated Free Cities of Animadev. The current Llysian archon has a general policy of 'no burned bridges', which it generally maintains through clandestinely supporting both sides of conflicts, conspicuous non-intervention, and plausible deniability. As such, Llysos is not currently in open hostility with any New Voldranian nations. It is closely allied with neighbor and fellow former-EVAIN member Akarv, and also works closely with Varrenholm, Krolesk, Aea, and Skylyn. Altenahnenwalde, due to its people's shared ancestry, is viewed by many Llysians as a province or sister-nation of Llysos. Economy Llysos has a very large economy driven by its large size, level of technological advancement, and questionable ethics. It is one of the only nations in New Voldrania where slavery is remains legal, although few outsiders are aware of the fact, and Llysos also has thriving formalized industries of smuggling, assassination, and foreign intervention. Llysos has a long history of development in magic and high technologies, and the Mages' College and the Azure Dawn are well-respected world leaders in these fields. A significant slave underclass is responsible for producing the majority of natural resources such as ore and lumber, whereas skilled manufacture and development are typically reserved for citizen artisans. Trade Llysos has a reputation for making deals with just about anyone if it is beneficial to the Llysian people, and as such holds trade contracts with almost all other nations in New Voldrania, including many of the Free Cities. Llysos is a member of The Accord. Due to its geographic location and long historic ties to the otherwise xenophobic states of Alten and the Free Cities, Llysos facilitates the majority of the trade with those places with the rest of Voldrania. Exotic oriental spices, for example, are common ingredients in Llysian cuisine, despite being rare elsewhere, and natural resources from Alten - a nation known for its vast coniferous forests and wealth of crude minerals such as iron and coal - are usually processed or even harvested by Llysian guilds. Culture Culture in Llysos is heavily informed by the philosophies of the Sophos. Llysian value knowledge, personal virtue, and usefulness, and are known throughout Voldrania for their opportunistic and expansionist attitudes. This has resulted in a strange reputation for being simultaneously reliable but ultimately untrustworthy: general consensus is that a Llysian has ulterior motives for everything. They are not, however, unfriendly; Llysians also have a strong tradition of hospitality, and it is considered particularly unlucky to turn away visitors seeking aid. Outside of religion, philosophy and issues of 'national identity', Llysian culture varies significantly by area, as many of the Llysian tribes are still localized. In particular the region of Riordos, once a powerful independent entity of its own, is known for its many unique and colourful festivals, frenetic dances, and folk traditions. Symbols Llysian national symbols are influenced by religious sources or foundational myths. Variations of sun motifs are used by several Llysian cults. Most prominently is the symbol of the blue sun: the eponymous Azure Dawn, which is said to herald the Aletheia. Although it is technically only the banner of the Azure Dawn proper, the blue sun insignia has been widely adopted as the Llysian national flag, and appears on many public buildings. The national flower is an orchid called the Tear-of-Llys, which is found throughout Llysia. They are used primarily in numerous sacred and folk rituals, but are also occasionally used medicinally, as an analgesic, and culinary, as garnish. Category:Nations Category:New Voldranian Nations Category:Llysos